Original artwork, not a still
The Fellowship of the Ring · 1954
Not all those who wander are lost.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A promise that wandering is not the same as drifting. In the book it is a riddle about a ranger most of Bree takes for a vagabond; out in the world it became the unofficial motto of travellers, gap-year students and anyone between jobs. It also shows up on a million tattoos and mugs, usually minus the rest of the poem, which is about a lost king.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Fellowship of the RingShow the scene
The line is the second of a short poem about Aragorn in The Fellowship of the Ring. In the chapter 'Strider', at the Prancing Pony in Bree, the hobbits meet a ranger they know only by that name; a letter from Gandalf helps convince Frodo to trust him. The verse says all that is gold does not glitter, that deep roots are not reached by the frost, and that a broken blade shall be renewed and the crownless again be king. Straight afterwards the ranger announces himself as the real Strider: Aragorn son of Arathorn, who will save them if he can.
Sources (2)
- The Fellowship of the Ring, Wikiquotesection 'Strider'Reference checked
- Aragorn, WikipediaFiction summaryReference checked
Context reviewed
